Middle School Newsletter - September 7, 2022

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Message From Division Director

Congratulations to all of us for a successful start to the year! You and your children brought an incredible amount of positivity, and our teachers and advisors have worked thoughtfully and tirelessly to create a warm, welcoming environment. We’ve also had plenty of imperfections and stumbles during these first few days, and we’ve made some adjustments based on a commitment to growth and the safety of a supportive community. This will be an important theme throughout the journey of middle school. Very little of what students experience this year (and any year) will be perfect, and we focus our work with them on building resilience, flexible thinking and a growth mindset. As we settle into our second week of school, we will also model the importance of careful planning to establish routines and instructional momentum while introducing the aspects of academic training (e.g. time management and study skills) that are essential at this level. Let’s enjoy the short week and get ready for the full five-day week coming up!

Brian Lamont
Director of the Middle School

Announcements

Middle School Picture Day — Thursday, September 8

Students may wear regular school dress. We will schedule time for each student to get their picture taken during the day. Families will receive an email from Freed Photography when pictures are available for viewing/purchase.

Back-to-School Night — Thursday, September 15

We are excited to host our first in-person BTSN since 2019 and our first in the Peterson Middle School building. In next week’s newsletter, I will include more specifics about your child’s individual schedule and helping you plan your night. Here is an initial overview:

You may park in either the Middle School lot or the Upper School lot, according to this map.
You should report to your child’s Advisory by 7:00 p.m., and the program will conclude at 8:50 p.m.
We will provide water, but not food.
We will run a condensed schedule with Advisory, 10-minute class periods, and 2-minute passing time.
Each teacher will present an overview of their class.
If your child takes two part-time electives (e.g. two classes in the same period), you will choose one session to attend during that particular period.

Student Absence: Classwork Policy

Informed by the experiences of the previous years working within the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the learning outcomes and impact on our students, faculty, and staff of hybrid and asynchronous learning during that time, the following represent guidelines for continued learning when a student is absent from school.

The goals of this policy are two-fold:

to support individual and community health and wellbeing, and
to maintain the integrity of a one-of-a-kind Flint Hill educational experience.

To that end, students and families should treat absences for illness as a necessary time to recuperate, and academic work is NOT an expectation during this time.

Read More

Displaying Carpool Signs for Afternoon Dismissal

Until we are ready to transition to the license plate scanner for afternoon dismissal, I will continue to call names on the walkie talkie. Please make sure that you display a sign with your child’s name on the driver’s side dashboard. For those of you with Lower School children, this does mean moving the sign from the passenger’s side (for Lower School) to the driver’s side. Between the sun, windshield glare, and my age, I can’t always read the signs unless they are on the driver’s side.

Students Riding with Upper School Drivers

We have updated our options to make it more convenient for families. In the morning, a Middle School student may be dropped off in Middle School carpool or walk from the Upper School parking lot using the appropriate crosswalks. In the afternoon, Upper School students may pick up in the Middle School carpool line or in-person outside Upper School Door 4 and walk to the car together.

School Store — Shop In Person by Appointment and Online

The School Store, located at the Hazel Lower School in Room 112, is open for in-person shopping by appointment only, Monday - Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Schedule your appointment on the School Store calendar. Shop online as well and look for new items that have been stocked. More will be added throughout the fall. To contact School Store Manager Kaleena Buckwalter, please call 703.584.2413 or email schoolstore@flinthill.org.

Upcoming Events

Middle School Picture Day
Thursday, September 8

Parent Morning Mixer
Monday, September 12
Peterson Middle School, 8:15 - 9:15 a.m.

Middle School Back-to-School Night
Thursday, September 15
Peterson Middle School, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Please join us to walk through your child’s schedule and hear about each course from their teachers. Please note that this is not an evening for students.

All-School Gathering
Wednesday, September 21
Upper School Gym, 1:15 - 2:15 p.m.
All students will gather in the gym for this traditional program to celebrate the start of the school year and the journey ahead.

Parents' Association Pickleball Social
Thursday, September 29
Country Club of Fairfax, 9:30 - 12:00 p.m.

Parents’ Association

A Message From Our PA President

The school year is in full swing, and this can be both exciting and stressful! The best years we’ve had at Flint Hill are the ones when we connect with the community – fellow parents, teachers, students and beyond. September presents several opportunities to connect and engage with the Flint Hill community.

Read more

Parent Morning Mixer Next Monday

Join us on Monday, September 12, for our first Morning Mixer on The John M. Thomas Terrace, from 8:15 to 9:15 a.m. The Advancement Office will host monthly, informal socials for JK-12 parents to get together on campus after morning drop-off and visit with other parents. Parent Morning Mixers will rotate between locations at the Upper, Middle and Lower Schools but all divisions are welcome to attend regardless of the location.

You’re Invited — Parents’ Association Pickleball Social

Thursday, September 29, Country Club of Fairfax, 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Details and Registration

Join us for a new community-building event at the beautiful Country Club of Fairfax! Whether you have played pickleball or not, this is a wonderful opportunity to meet other families and enjoy some friendly competition. Players of all skill levels are welcome. The event is free, but we do ask that you register in advance. Registration is limited to the first 30 registrants so grab your spot! Questions? Contact Advancement Officer Olivia Landrum ’11

Calling All Concessions Volunteers!

Parent volunteers are needed to help sell concessions in both The Igloo and The Den during the day and after school. More opportunities will be added throughout the year for each athletic season. Please sign up for as many shifts as you'd like, and feel free to invite a friend to sign up with you too.